"Accidental Purpose"

Part 4 in the On Letting Someone Help Series
(Last week's Small Group material can be found at this link)

Discover how everything praises God.

  1. Press play to start listening to this song (below).

    (The song’s lyrics are posted below the video player.)

  2. Contemplate these questions while you listen:

  • This song invites everything in the universe to praise God—but everything does this in its own way. What have you observed that reflects well on its Maker?

  • “Alleluia” comes from the Hebrew words meaning “Praise the Lord.” Ergo, the chorus of this song is essentially all of us calling to each other, “Hey, praise God!” and responding with “Praise the Lord!” (In other words, this song isn't much of a solo—it needs the group to call and respond.)

All Creatures by King’s Kaleidoscope

All creatures of our God and King,
lift up your voice and with us sing.
Oh, praise Him—Alleluia!
Thou burning sun with golden beam—
thou silver moon with softer gleam,
oh, praise Him—oh, praise Him!
Alleluia, Alleluia—Alleluia!

Thou rushing wind that art so strong—
ye clouds that sail in heaven along,
oh, praise Him—Alleluia!
Thou rising moon, in praise, rejoice—
ye lights of evening, find a voice!
Oh, praise Him—oh, praise Him!
Alleluia, Alleluia—Alleluia!

Let all things their Creator bless,
and worship Him in humbleness.
Oh, praise Him—Alleluia!
Praise—praise the Father, praise the Son,
and praise the Spirit, Three in One!
Oh, praise Him—oh, praise Him!
Alleluia, Alleluia—Alleluia!

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Takeaway

Everything can praise God—anything can be a light.

Learn more about being in crisis mode.

Read through the following passage:

All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.

Acts 4:32–35

Discuss these questions with your group:

Note to facilitators: When a bank of multiple questions (such as follows this note) has questions displayed in the same color, you might want to ask those questions in tandem. In other words, speak those questions one after another, and then allow for the group to talk about those questions at the same time. Or, however you want to do it. 🤪

1. What similarities are there between the way the early Christians acted and the way people act after a major disaster, such as an earthquake or terrorist attack?

2. Why do you think humans are more generous in “crisis mode” than in regular circumstances? Based on your answer to that question, why do you think the early Christians were so incredibly generous?
 

Learn more about being a helpmate.

Read through the following passage:

The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”

Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals.

But for Adam no suitable helper was found. So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.

Genesis 2:18–22

Discuss these questions with your group:

  1. The “helper” idea here is significant. Even before humanity sins, God says that having help is a good thing. Who needs whom in this story? That is, who is asking for help, and who is coming to make a difference?

  2. In explaining this story, the Bible says this: “That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.” Marriage is an extreme example. In what other ways do our helpers alter the course of our lives?

Takeaway

Having someone to help is something to be thankful for and proud of—not ashamed.

Share some encouragement.

Read through the following passage:

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Hebrews 10:23–25


Select one of the following definitions to encourage others.

  1. Imagine there’s a local therapist who shares a single word and its definition with each new client after their first visit.

  2. Using the four options below, which would you as the therapist choose to share as a simple way to encourage them as they begin to seek help?

  3. Discuss which option you selected with your group and why you chose it.

  4. (Feel free to include what you might add in addition to the word and definition you selected.)

Courage

[kur-ij] noun

the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc.,

without fear; bravery.

Wisdom

[wiz-duhm] noun

the quality or state of being wise; knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just judgment as to action; discernment or insight.

Bravery

[brey-vuh-ree] noun

brave spirit or conduct; courage; valor.

courageous behavior or character.

Pluck

[plək] noun

spirited and determined courage;

bold use of bravery or courage.

 
Tell a story about therapy/counseling.

In recent weeks, you’ve been looking at letting someone professional help.

This topic continues this week with a look at the impact therapy and counseling can have on people and those around them.

Have you or someone you’ve known ever seen a counselor or therapist? (Now is your chance to help others by sharing your experience.)

  1. Tell a story to your group (if you’re comfortable; no pressure 😁) about the ways that you’ve seen counseling benefit someone—yourself or someone you know

  2. Then answer this question: Why do you think it worked?

 

Takeaway

Therapy helps more than just you … when you talk about it with others.



Submit a prayer request.

Feel free to share your prayer request using the link below (which opens in a new tab).

Note: Prayer requests can be confidential (please indicate so!) and go directly to Pastor Garrett's email. Those requests that you indicate as public will appear on next week's online Small Group material.

 

Because folks (since we first made that link available a couple weeks ago) have not been navigating to that link on their own during the week and submitting prayer requests, one of your final activities for today is...

 

A LIVE PRAYER SESSION! (dunh-dunh-dunh)

 

But it’s actually very simple. Here’s the procedure this time.

  1. Share with your group the name of one person you’ll be praying for in your mind when you get to praying in just a moment.

  2. Pray the Lord’s Prayer, as it is written below, out loud together, in unison.

  3. Pray slowly so that you can take in each line. This aspect of it might lead to this not going super-smoothly. That’s okay.

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins,
as we forgive those
who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom,
the power, and the glory
are yours now and forever.
Amen.

 

Close by singing/listening/humming about some good news.

  1. Press play to start listening to this song (below).

    (The song’s lyrics are posted below the video player.)

  2. Contemplate this question while you listen:

    • A hero defeats an enemy. A rescuer saves someone in need. While the two often go hand in hand, they’re not the same thing. Which do you need right now? (That is, how could God send someone to help you?)
Rescuer (Good News) by Rend Collective

There is good news for the captive—
good news for the shamed.
There is good news for the one who walked away.
There is good news for the doubter—
the one religion failed:
for the Good Lord has come to seek and save.

He’s our rescuer—
he’s our rescuer.
We are free from sin forevermore.
Oh, how sweet the sound—
Oh, how grace abounds.
We will praise the Lord our rescuer.

He is beauty for the blind man—
riches for the poor.
He is friendship for the one the world ignores.
He is pasture for the weary—
Rest for those who strive.
Oh, the Good Lord is the way, the truth, the life.
Yes, the Good Lord is the way, the truth, the life.

He’s our rescuer—
he’s our rescuer.
We are free from sin forevermore.
Oh, how sweet the sound—
Oh, how grace abounds.
We will praise the Lord our rescuer.

Oh, oh—
we will praise the Lord our rescuer.
Oh, oh—
we will praise the Lord our rescuer.

So come and be chainless—
come and be fearless.
Come to the foot of Calvary.
There is redemption
for every affliction
here at the foot of Calvary.

So come and be chainless—
come and be fearless.
Come to the foot of Calvary.
’cause there is redemption
for every affliction
here at the foot of Calvary.

He’s our rescuer—
he’s our rescuer.
We are free from sin forevermore.
Oh, how sweet the sound—
Oh, how grace abounds.
We will praise the Lord our rescuer.
We will praise the Lord our rescuer.

 

Takeaway

Therapy helps more than just you … when you talk about it with others.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,

and the love of God,

and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all.

(2 Corinthians 13:14)